Chapter 5
Chapter Five
CADE
At least the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge isn’t bumper to bumper when we take the turn off to Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
The car is silent for the drive, and Vi sits in the seat behind me, eyes closed body stiff.
I leave her be.
Unlike Enzo, I believe her about the girl. And I actually think he believes her, too.
It wasn’t about that. It was about survival, getting the fuck out and if Enzo’d had his way, he’d have steamrollered Vi out of there.
Not out of cold-hearted crap, but because it was the smart thing to do.
He’s right about my cock, though. It is causing trouble.
But the thing is, I’m better at controlling lust and that kind of need than him.
This isn’t a one-organ issue.
My heart had a lot more to say than my dick.
It still does.
And I’m aware it’s a problem.
There’s so much to say. To Violet, to Enzo…
We need to definitely fucking talk. But right now, I’m concerned she’s had enough to deal with. Not that she’s weak or fragile, it’s only I know how things so out of the ordinary happening can do things to people. And I don’t want her scarred by this.
Any more than she might already be.
“Hang on…” Enzo flashes his lights twice, then makes a right, then a left, pulling into an underground carpark on what looks like a building under construction.
There’s no one here.
I keep an eye on Violet in the back seat. “As dates go, this isn’t exactly my scene. I like dinner, candles, flowers.”
Enzo parks and gets out. One of the other cars pulling in, too.
I sigh.
“Is Enzo your boss?” Vi’s green eyes are dark and fiery.
“No.” I search for the right words, and I’m aware following protocol is kind of out the window since she was there, and she also knows who The Ghost is. “It’s complicated.”
Her mouth sets into a stubborn line as she absorbs my words. “You could try me. I’m a complicated girl.”
“You’re—”
“Be careful with your next words, Cade.” She stares at me, and despite the aches and pains and how breathing still carries some pain, my cock starts to get hard.
Maybe there’s a part of me that likes brat.
But this isn’t brat. This is survival. This is a girl who wants to make it known she’s something and not a force to be underestimated.
Yeah, that’s a definite turn on.
I know she is smart. She’s a fucking hard worker, and her filthy imagination is something to behold. But this is a complex maturity and innocence and downright stubbornness that is heady in and of itself.
Enzo worries about my dick making decisions. He should have worried about my heart. Because I really don’t know how to deal with that, how to get out from under it and find a way to both please her and protect her.
“You are young, and this isn’t your wheelhouse, it’s true,” I say softly. “But it’s complicated because it’s a tangle of grays.”
“Let me guess. A guy’s club of wannabe superheroes?”
“Something like that.” And I manage not to smile. “No one’s really a big boss.”
Though there’s got to be someone, somewhere, at the top, handing out assignments, keeping the fragmented arms of The Syndicate together. Or maybe it really is just us all working to our own common goal. It’s not something I thought about. “We’re interdependent.”
Which is probably the closest to the truth.
“We work for bad guys. but we choose which ones and then…” I sigh, because I don’t say this shit out loud. It all just is. From The Ghost to The Syndicate to the clients. There are a lot of moving parts that work, and so we don’t question things.
I make money. I keep the streets as clean as I can from the predators that cross my path.
“You have time to fuck about as The Ghost?”
I look at her sharply. “Not in the way you mean. You’re the only one, Vi.
No one else. Not ever. I haven’t… I get offers as The Ghost. A lot.
And not one has even made me blink. I stopped opening the emails not long after I put site up.
It’s easy enough to see those who are passing along something bad. But the sex shit? No one.”
“Apart from me?”
I nod. “Apart from you.”
Enzo, who’s got impeccable timing, knocks on my window.
Vi looks away when I turn to her, so all I say is, “I’ll be back in a minute.”
I get out and follow Enzo.
He stops where she can’t hear us. “We need to split up. Just in case.”
I hold up my hands. “This isn’t my fault.”
His eyes narrow. “I’m not saying it is.”
“Your words might not state it, but you are. Loud and clear.”
He blows out a breath. “You could have left him alone, you know. Isaac. Then—”
“Then what? We didn’t know Isaac was in with Ivan. Come on.”
“No. But we wouldn’t have needed to if you didn’t get involved with her, if you didn’t decide to be a hero.”
I laugh and shake my head. “There are countless times I could bring up here. Each and every one of us has gotten in dire straits. It’s not a me thing. I didn’t set out to do any of that.”
He points at the other car. “And your brother’s girlfriend? Fuck, Cade.”
“You have no moral ground here.”
“I do. Because it’s not me.”
“I stole that money back.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. And maybe it doesn’t matter if our client decides it’s a slap in the face. Also, now we have fucking Andronski after us.”
“He’d never have known a thing about us if we hadn’t physically infiltrated that party and I wasn’t put on human alarm system duty.
” I stop, take a breath. “Look, I’m not pointing fingers or laying blame because things happen that aren’t in our control.
We had no fucking idea that any of these events would line up, and you know it. ”
He sags against the other car that pulled into the garage. “I’m aware. And now he’s got some girl.”
“Poor job convincing Vi she imagined the girl.”
He glares. “Choose some dumb girl next time.”
“I don’t think anyone’s that dumb.” I sigh, glancing back at the car where Violet is staring daggers at me through the window. “We wasted time not looking. You know that, right?”
“Look, man, if he had a girl, I don’t even want to think why. He probably dabbles in trafficking, but Andronski isn’t a known trafficker. So, this is specialized. I don’t think you want your girl looking.”
“What I want and what she does are very different things at times. But yeah.” I don’t want her looking, but I really don’t think Violet is going to let it go.”
“We’ll look into it.” He doesn’t sound or look happy. But it is what it is. “We’ll split. Each will have one of the cars outside following us, just to make sure…”
“You don’t think Ivan’s got tails on us?”
“I don’t know.”
We look at each other.
He doesn’t believe it either, but the fact Andronski found my place and took me and Vi…the fact there was a girl we know nothing about in his sub-basement cells, and he knew and was owed things by Isaac…none of that seems to make either of us feel good or safe or confident we got out scot-free.
“Err on the side of caution,” I mutter. “You take Vi, I’ll go and secure my place.”
“You have anything there?”
“No one’s going to be able to get into my computer, even if I did keep anything there. Still…”
“I have Rafe there, as your roommate, and the cops.”
I frown. “Cops?”
He shrugs. “Your friend is busy, but our man, Zayne is there. It’ll be secured. Look, that isn’t our problem. This is. And do you think those goons who took you are the type to take computer hardware?”
“I’m not even sure they know where the on button is. But…” I want to go. I want to check everything myself.
Only he’s right.
If Rafe’s there, he’ll be able to secure things, make sure nothing like hardware’s taken as evidence.
“Violet’s computer is there.”
“I’ll have Rafe run a check on it, and he can bring it to my place.” His gaze hardens. “Even if your place didn’t currently have a busted door, mine’s safer. I built mine to withstand almost any assault. I had to, if we’re to have our own hub. And my place is big. So, I’ll meet you.”
With that, he gets in the car, and I step back as he takes off.
I watch for a minute and then turn, trying not to limp as the adrenaline seeps away and more of the stiffness settles in.
Shit. Talk about being through the wringer.
At the other car, I open the passenger door to the back seat and hold out my hand.
Violet doesn’t take it.
I bite back a sigh and lean down. “Come on.”
“Why? Are you going to kill me here?”
“I should. For that fucking comment.”
“Asshole.”
“Violet, please. I’m sore. I need sleep.”
She gets out and shoves me against the door, pressing her sweet, warm body against me as she gazes up. “You need a hospital. Is that where we’re going?”
“No. We’re going to Enzo’s. It’s safe there.”
“Is he a doctor? You need a doctor.”
I smooth a strand of hair from her face and lower my head closer to hers. “I need you, and I need sleep. I’ll be fine. I might have a cracked rib or two but beyond that, I’m fine. They make you feel like you’re going to die, but those fuckers were experts at maximum pain to minimum damage.”
“Oh, good,” she snaps, pulling away. “Where do I send the chocolates?”
“They might be dead.”
She sniffs, but behind the sound, I can hear the vulnerability, the aftermath of fear. So, I go around to the front passenger seat and open the door for her. And I wait until she gets in.
Then I get into the driver’s seat. Enough time has past, and I pull out, driving out of the garage and start driving across Brooklyn.
Violet keeps glancing in the side mirror. “Are we being followed?
“Yep. We’re being followed to make sure we’re not being followed if that makes sense. We can’t afford anyone finding Enzo’s place.”
“They know where yours is. I remember that. Clearly.”
“Vi…”
“So, what happens to me? Am I now your prisoner? For good?”
“No. You’re not. But we need to lay low.”
“I don’t need to do anything. I’m innocent.”
“Innocence isn’t a get out of jail free card, Violet. I need to make sure the threat is eliminated.”
“I see.”
“Violet—”
“Just drive.” She closes her eyes and leans back into her seat, making it clear she’s not about to say another word.